Kyle house – Tongue

residential. Kyle house is a unique self-catering property belonging to a collection of extraordinary restored retreats - all part of an ambitious conservation project by Wildland Ltd. Located at the southern tip of the Kyle of Tongue, Kyle House sits elevated in the wild landscape and is the only inhabited building to enjoy uninterrupted views along the length of the sea loch to The North.

On approach, it reads as a simple, symmetrical, two-storey classical stone-house, facing east towards Ben Loyal, the ‘Queen of Scottish Mountains’.It is believed that the house was built using stone from the 2000-year-old Dun Mhaigh Broch, an iron-age building which still sits on the hill above the cottage. Previously derelict, the exterior has been faithfully restored using traditional materials: stone, lime mortar, lead and slate. New openings were neatly cut into the rear elevation and gables ends to let light in, providing dramatic views out to the landscape. With almost nothing remaining of the original interior, the classical plan was reinterpreted to form a series of equally proportioned living spaces, pared back to almost monastic simplicity. These spaces are conceived as a series of finely detailed oak boxes, defining the areas within and around them. Doors can be discretely tucked into pockets, allowing the building to be experienced as a seamless whole. Only the necessary objects are placed in each space. The detail and finish of every piece painstakingly considered, reduced to their essential form, all constructed from a simple palette of stone, timber, metal and glass.